Catharanthus plant named &#39;SUNCATFE 23&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Catharanthus plant named ‘Suncatfe 23’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely basal branching habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; relatively small star-shaped white-colored flowers with red purple-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Catharanthus roseus.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNCATFE 23’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Catharanthus plant, botanically known as Catharanthus roseus and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Suncatfe 23’.

The new Catharanthus plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new compact and freely branching Catharanthus plants with numerous small attractive flowers.

The new Catharanthus plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in September, 2011 of a proprietary selection of Catharanthus roseus identified as code designation FS22-5, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Catharanthus roseus identified as code designation CL, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Catharanthus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in September, 2013.

Asexual reproduction of the new Catharanthus plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since December, 2013, has shown that the unique features of this new Catharanthus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Catharanthus have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Suncatfe 23’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Suncatfe 23’ as a new and distinct Catharanthus plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and uniformly         mounding plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely basal branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Relatively small star-shaped white-colored flowers with red         purple-colored centers.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Catharanthus can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Catharanthus differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Catharanthus can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Catharanthus differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Catharanthus have smaller flowers than         plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Catharanthus and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have lavender pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Catharanthus can be compared to plants of the Catharanthus roseus ‘Suncatfe 43’, disclosed in U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 14/999,207. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Catharanthus differ from plants of ‘Suncatfe 43’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Catharanthus are shorter and narrower than         plants of ‘Suncatfe 43’.     -   2. Plants of the new Catharanthus have thicker stems with         shorter internodes than plants of ‘Suncatfe 43’.     -   3. Plants of the new Catharanthus have smaller leaves with         shorter petioles than plants of ‘Suncatfe 43’.     -   4. Plants of the new Catharanthus have smaller flower petals         than plants of ‘Suncatfe 43’.     -   5. Plants of the new Catharanthus and ‘Suncatfe 43’ differ in         flower color as plants of ‘Suncatfe 43’ have flowers that have a         less distinct eye zone.     -   6. Plants of the new Catharanthus have smaller sepals than         plants of ‘Suncatfe 43’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Catharanthus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Catharanthus plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Suncatfe 23’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Suncatfe 23’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the late summer and early autumn in 15-cm containers in an outdoor nursery in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and under cultural practices typical of commercial production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25° C. and night temperatures averaged 15° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs were taken and five months old when the description was taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Catharanthus roseus ‘Suncatfe 23’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Catharanthus roseus identified as code designation FS22-5,             not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of             Catharanthus roseus identified as code designation CL, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at             temperatures about 30° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About five             weeks at temperatures about 30° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About six             weeks at temperatures about 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous; typically white in color, actual             color of the roots is dependent on substrate composition,             water quality, fertilizer type and formulation, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright to outwardly             spreading and uniformly mounding plant habit; freely basal             branching habit, about four basal branches each with about             ten secondary branches developing per plant; vigorous growth             habit.         -   Plant height.—About 22 cm.         -   Plant diameter.—About 45 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 18 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3.7 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly.         -   Texture.—Sparsely pubescent; rough.         -   Color.—Close to 145A. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 2.8 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Oblong.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; reticulate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Darker than 144A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137B; venation,             close to 145B. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 137C; venation, close to 145C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 2.6 mm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single star-shaped salverform             flowers arising from upper leaf axils; freely flowering             habit with more than 400 small flowers developing per plant;             flowers face mostly upright.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flowering habit.—Plants begin flowering about two to three             weeks after planting; long flowering period, in the garden,             plants flower continuously from the early summer to late             autumn in Japan.         -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about two to three             days on the plant; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 2.3 mm.             Shape: Ovoid to cylindrical. Color: Close to 150C to 150D.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Flower length (depth).—About 1.7 cm.         -   Tube length.—About 1.3 cm.         -   Tube diameter, proximally.—About 1.3 mm.         -   Tube diameter, distally.—About 0.9 mm.         -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals in a single whorl fused at             the base into a tube. Petal length from throat: About             7.4 mm. Petal width: About 3.7 mm. Petal shape: Narrowly             elliptic to oblanceolate. Petal apex: Cuspidate. Petal base:             Truncate. Petal margin: Entire. Petal texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth,             glabrous. Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to NN155C;             towards the center, close to 60A. Petal, when opening and             fully opened, lower surface: Close to NN155C. Throat:             Proximally, close to 145B; distally, close to 145D. Tube:             Proximally, close to 145A; distally, close to 145C.         -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped tubular calyx with five             sepals fused towards the base. Sepal length: About 1.4 mm.             Sepal width: About 0.7 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal             apex: Acuminate. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 143B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.1 mm. Diameter: About 0.7 mm.             Angle: Upright to outwardly. Strength: Strong. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Anther size: About 1.2 mm by 0.7 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly             elliptic. Anther color: Close to 155A. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: Close to 158D. Pistils: Quantity per             flower: One. Pistil length: About 1.1 cm. Style color: Close             to 145D. Stigma shape: Globose. Stigma color: Close to 145B.             Ovary color: Close to 144B. Seeds and fruits: Seed and fruit             development have not been observed on plants of the new             Catharanthus to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Catharanthus have been     observed to have good garden performance and to tolerate wind, rain     and temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C. to 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Catharanthus have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Catharanthus plants to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Catharanthus plant named ‘Suncatfe 23’ as illustrated and described. 